Location-based applications and services have been gaining popularity over the recent years with the widespread availability of Global Positioning System (GPS) functions in mobile devices, especially in smartphones. However, the low-cost solution with accurate positioning and convenience of the GPS functions are lost once the mobile device moves indoors into a building because when indoors, the GPS satellite signals becomes undetectable.
In today's cities where people spend a great amount of time indoors, such as in shopping malls, airports, office buildings, hospitals and industrial plants, there is a need for an extension of positioning capabilities for indoors. Having accurate indoors positioning capabilities can allow companies to improve their indoor workflows, processes, security management, assets and people tracking, customer satisfaction and carry out perhaps many other innovative ideas presently not thought of.
Although there are a number of indoor wireless positioning solutions available on the market, most of them require the deployment of dedicated equipment, making them too expensive for mass-market implementation.